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Akwa Ibom Assembly Turns Battle Ground

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Violence ensued on Tuesday at the sitting of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly as five All Progressives Congress lawmakers attempted to impeach the state Governor, Udom Emmanuel.

 The five lawmakers were the ones whose seats were recently declared vacant by the Speaker of the House, Onofiok Luke. They include Nse Ntuen, representing Essien Udim State Constituency; Gabriel Toby (Etim Ekpo/Ika State Constituency) and Idongesit Ituen, (Itu State Constituency).

 Others are Otobong Ndem (Mkpat Enin State Constituency) and Victor Udofia representing Ikono State Constituency.

 It was gathered that they arrived early at the Assembly complex with thugs and heavily armed policemen and an improvised mace to commence the impeachment proceedings against the governor.

 They chased out everyone around and manhandled the Press Secretary to the Speaker, Kufre Okon, who came early in the morning, before making their way to the assembly.

 Although the aim of the five APC lawmakers’ gathering at the Assembly early in the morning was not made public, sources close to the affected lawmakers said they allegedly met to impeach the Speaker, Onofiok Luke, and  Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.

 “Their main mission is to impeach the speaker and commence the impeachment proceedings against the governor,” the source said.

 It was gathered that they shut all doors before commencing the impeachment process which lasted just for very few minutes.

 Trouble began at about 10.05am when the state Commissioner for Works, Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen, arrived on the premises of the Assembly complex. He was harassed by the five APC lawmakers who swooped on him and repeatedly banged on his vehicle, asking him to leave the Assembly for them.

 The Udom’s arrival few minutes later worsened the situation as the there was a clash between his loyalists and the supporters of the five lawmakers.

 In the ensuing confusion, gunshots were fired by security personnel to scare away people.  Journalists and Assembly workers who turned up early that morning and other visitors scampered to safety, some jumped over the walls, while others took cover in the surrounding bush.

 Ntuen and other APC members who had earlier in the morning sat with the four other sacked lawmakers were harassed by security personnel in front of the Assembly and they later escaped when the heat became severe.

 Ntuen’s vehicle was damaged by the rampaging youths even as he escaped being mobbed by supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and security personnel.

 Also, a Toyota Camry car said to belong to an APC supporter was set ablaze near the premises of the Assembly complex.

 The speaker, Luke, in an interview with journalists, said, “Let nobody, party think they can intimidate us in Akwa Ibom State.

 “The people of Akwa Ibom have shown solidarity as seen in what happened today. We will continue to stand with our governor. We will continue to make laws for the economic development of the state and for the betterment of the youth of the state.”

 When contacted, the factional Speaker, Nse Ntuen, who said he was speaking from his sick bed, said he would address the press on Wednesday to tell the whole world how he and the five All Progressives Congress lawmakers were beaten and thrown out of the Assembly complex by PDP thugs.

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LIRS Sets January 31 Deadline for Annual Tax Returns Filing by Employers

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LIRS Sets January 31 Deadline for Annual Tax Returns Filing by Employers

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has issued a reminder to all employers in Lagos State to fulfill their statutory obligation to file annual tax returns for the 2024 financial year on or before January 31, 2025. This requirement is in line with the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) Cap P8 LFN 2004 (as amended).

In an official statement, the Executive Chairman of LIRS, Dr. Ayodele Subair, emphasized that meeting this deadline is a legal obligation. He warned that failure to comply will result in statutory sanctions, including penalties, as prescribed by law.

Section 81 of PITA mandates employers to submit comprehensive annual returns detailing all emoluments paid to employees, including taxes deducted and remitted to relevant tax authorities. These returns must be filed no later than January 31 each year and cover the income and taxes paid during the preceding year (2024).

Dr. Subair stressed, “Employers must prioritize the timely filing of their annual income tax returns to avoid penalties. Submitting returns on or before the deadline ensures compliance with the law and supports accurate revenue tracking, which is essential for Lagos State’s fiscal planning and sustainability.”

To simplify the process, LIRS has transitioned to a fully digital filing system. Employers must file their annual tax returns exclusively through the LIRS e-Tax portal at https://etax.lirs.net. Manual submissions are no longer accepted. Mr. Subair described the e-Tax platform as secure, user-friendly, and designed to provide employers with a convenient way to manage their tax obligations.

Employers are reminded to include the Payer ID of all employees in their returns. Employees without a Taxpayer ID are advised to generate one immediately on the e-Tax platform to prevent disruptions during the filing process.

To assist employers, LIRS has deployed staff across its offices to provide guidance on using the e-Tax portal and addressing related concerns. Employers are encouraged to act promptly to meet the deadline and ensure compliance with tax laws.

For further information or assistance, employers and taxpayers can use the following support channels:

            •           Website: www.lirs.gov.ng

            •           Social Media:

            •           Facebook and LinkedIn: Lagos State Internal Revenue Service

            •           Instagram and YouTube: @lirsgovng

            •           X (formerly Twitter): @lirs_govng

            •           Email: etaxinfo@lirs.net

            •           Customer Care Hotline: 0700-CALL-LIRS (0700-2255-5477).

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GOCOP applauds Gov Okpebholo for appointing Edomaruse, SA, Int’l Development

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GOCOP applauds Gov Okpebholo for appointing Edomaruse, SA, Int’l Development

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has applauded  Edo State governor, Mr.  Monday Okpebholo for the appointment of Mr. Collins Edomaruse as his Special Adviser, International Development Partners (IDP).

President of GOCOP and Publisher of RealNews Online, Ms Maureen Chigbo described  Edomaruse’s appointment as a welcomed development.

Chigbo in a press statement by GOCOP Publicity Secretary, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, also congratulated Edomaruse for this appointment assuring of support from over 110 members of GOCOP in carrying out his duties.

Until his appointment, Edomaruse who is a founding member of GOCOP and the Secretary General of the body of reputed online publishers is also a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), among others.

Edomaruse doubles as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of METROWATCH, and has held several senior editorial management positions in THISDAY, including Group News Editor, Group Politics Editor, Deputy Editor, Daily, Saturday and Sunday titles respectively, as well as the Editor, Nation’s Capital/Abuja Bureau.

Also known as ‘General’ because of his mastery of the Defence Beat, his records in THISDAY have remained unbeaten, where he ranked the best among the editors.

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Christmas: LAWMA Seeks Responsible Waste Disposal

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Christmas: LAWMA Seeks Responsible Waste Disposal

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has announced its readiness to tackle the expected surge in waste generation across the metropolis during the Christmas festivities.

The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, who gave the assurance on Monday in his office at Ijora Olopa, said the Authority had put measures in place to meet the waste management needs of residents during the Yuletide.

He said, “We have put adequate measures in place to address the increase in waste generation that comes with the festive season. Our teams are fully mobilised with trucks and personnel to ensure prompt collection and disposal of waste in all parts of Lagos.

This is part of our commitment to making Lagos a clean and liveable city during and after the Christmas holidays.”Gbadegesin noted that, as part of its operational strategies, LAWMA would deploy additional waste collection trucks and personnel to high-traffic areas, including markets, residential neighbourhoods, and commercial hubs, adding that the Authority would work relentlessly to address peak waste volumes and ensure all areas receive prompt attention.“Our approach is comprehensive.

We are committed to maintaining a clean environment during and after the celebrations. However, we need the cooperation of all residents to bag and containerise their waste properly, to facilitate efficient collection. Waste left unbagged often scatters, causes low turnaround time and hazards for our sweepers and other road users”, he stated.

The LAWMA boss also reiterated the need for motorists to drive carefully and watch for sanitation workers, who will be working tirelessly to clean roads and highways during the festive period. “Road safety is paramount.

We appeal to motorists to exercise patience and caution, especially around our sweepers.

They are dedicated to keeping Lagos clean, and their lives should be safeguarded at all times. Reckless driving endangers everyone, and we urge all road users to be mindful and responsible”, he said.

He further informed that LAWMA had intensified its public awareness campaigns, to educate residents on proper waste management, which included targeted radio programs, press releases, and active engagement on social media platforms, all aimed at encouraging Lagosians to take responsibility for their waste.“We are leveraging every available platform to sensitise Lagosians.

Our goal is to establish a culture of cleanliness and responsibility, ensuring that waste is managed responsibly by every individual and household.

This collective effort will significantly reduce environmental hazards and enhance waste collection efficiency”, he added.

While wishing residents a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year, he assured that names and phone numbers of management staff members would be published for monitoring and complaints.

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